Open and/or Closed

On the second Friday night of each month, the singles group at my church heads downtown to a park and along with some other churches, provides a meal for people who are homeless. It's always a powerful time for me, and this week was no exception. I just love the whole concept: we, a group of people who has "everything," shows up and gives to people who have "nothing." What a picture of the gospel and what God has done for us! And, yes, there's always that one person who pulls you aside to tell you tha he/she knows for a fact that half the people who come for meals aren't really homeless, but the reality is, that's a picture of the gospel as well. See, the Bible teaches that when we were apart from Christ, we weren't just indifferent to him, we were absolutely, diametrically opposed to him. We didn't just kind of look over at him, every once in a while and sneer, like you might look over your fence into your neighbor's yard that still needs cutting. No, we warred against him, we took advantage of him, we found every way we could to be at odds with him and his holiness. That's the picture the Bible paints of non-Christians, and that's the picture that comes alive for me when I see people walk up to the table to get their plate. Those people who have nothing, and those people who are getting government checks to sit around all day and do nothing. See, here's the thing: the gospel's not just for those who with passive indifference, it's also for those with active deceitfulness and cunning. And that is part of what makes it "good news."